hose who hated her--innocent and aged though
she was--for the name she bore, who included her in the rancour which
had procured her husband's assassination, were to be fully satisfied.
And the instrument of fate was this parson Hicks. He prevailed upon
Dunne, a baker of Warminster, and a Nonconformist, to convey to the Lady
Lisle his prayer for shelter. With that message Dunne set out on July
25th for Ellingham, a journey of some twenty miles. He went by way of
Fovant and Chalk to Salisbury Plain. But as he did not know the way
thence, he sought out a co-religionist named Barter, who undertook, for
a consideration, to go with him and direct him.

Together the pair came in the late afternoon of that Saturday to the
handsome house of Moyle's Court, and to my lady's steward, who received
them. Dunne, who appears to have been silly and imprudent, states that
he is sent to know if my lady will entertain a minister named Hicks.

Carpenter, the steward, a staid, elderly fellow, took fright at once.
Although he may not have associated an absconding Presbyterian parson
with the late rebellion, he must have supposed at least that he was one
of those against whom there were warrants for preaching in forbidden
private meetings. So to her ladyship above stairs Carpenter conveyed a
warning with the message.

But that slight, frail, homely lady of seventy, with kindly eyes of
a faded blue, smiled upon his fears. She had sheltered fugitives
before--in the old days of the Commonwealth--and nothing but good had
ever come of it. She would see this messenger.

With misgivings, Carpenter haled Dunne into her presence, and left them
alone together. The impression conveyed by Dunne was that Hicks was
in hiding from the warrants that were out against all Nonconformist
preachers. But when he mentioned that Hicks had a companion, she desired
to know his name.

"I do not know, my lady. But I do not think he has been in the army,
either."

She considered a while. But in the end pity conquered doubt in her
sweetly charitable soul.

"Very well," she said, "I will give them entertainment for a week.
Bring them on Tuesday after dark, and come by the back way through the
orchard, that they may not be seen."

And upon this she rose, and took up an ebony cane, herself to reconduct
him and to see to his entertainment before he left. Not until they came
to the kitchen did she realize that he had a companion. At sight of
Barter, who rose respectfu